1968 Chevy Impala Lower Dash To Column Trim Plate on 2040-parts.com

Viper sports car division no longer for sale

By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 13 July 2009 14:08 Viper’s yo-yoing lifeline looks to be finally secured after ailing parent company Chrysler said the sports car maker was no longer for sale. Rather than killing off its muscle-bound brand, last summer Cerberus-run Chrysler considered selling off the rights to the Viper, hoping to achieve around $10m for the Detroit assembly plant and brand equity to bolster its dwindling cash reserves and stave off imminent bankruptcy. After an initial surge of interest from similar-minded companies like Roush and Saleen, curiosity nosedived along with the global economy.

GM recalls 1.5 million vehicles for oil leak

General Motors is recalling nearly 1.5 million Buick, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile and Pontiac mid-sized cars equipped with a 3.8-liter engine because an oil leak could start an engine fire. Under hard braking, engine oil could leak past a heat shield and drip on the exhaust manifold. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that could start a small fire that could spread to a plastic spark plug wire guide and beyond.

Toyota Winglet concept (2008): first pictures

By Tom Richards First Official Pictures 04 August 2008 14:33 Toyota has just unveiled the ‘Winglet’, one of its ‘people-assisting Partner Robots’.  It isn’t exactly a car per se, but it has wheels, a motor, and it is a valid alternative to walking. It even has its own ‘trim’ levels – ‘S’, ‘M’ and ‘L’ (from left to right in our pictures). These range from ‘practical’ (with the long handle) to ‘hands-free sporty’.